Tongs-operating apparatus



` (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

A.A C. DINKEY. TONGS OPERATING APPARATUS.

Patented May 28,1895.

R. Vhr. .m/ J .31. IINIHTHW w 1 WITH ESSES INYENTOR THE nouns Evans 00,. vuomuwa, WASI-uneven. c, c.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

1A. C; DINKEY. TONGS OPERATING APPARATUS.

` mvEnToR Patented May 28, 1895.

UNITED STATES PATENT EEICE.

ALVA C. DINKEY, OF MUN HALL, PENNSYLVANIA.

TONGS-OPERATING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 539,982, dated May 28, 1895? i Application tiled March 19, 1395. Serial No. 542,323. (No model.)

State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Tongs-Operating Apparatus, of which the following is a full, clear, and eXactdescription, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a plan View of the preferred form of my improved apparatus. Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof. Fig. 3 illustrates in Y plan view a modification of my invention.

Fig. 4 shows the same in side elevation. 5 is a partial cross-section on the line VV of Fig. 4. Fig. 6is a side elevation of another modification.

Like symbols of reference indicate like parts in each figure.

In the drawings, 2 represents the jib of a crane. It may be the projecting jib of a rotary crane, the jib or beam of a traveling buggy or car or traveling crane, or other carrier designed to convey blooms or ingots of metal to or from a furnace. On said jib is mounted a trolley or carrier 3, which is adapted to move back and forth on wheels or slides, and carries a frame or base 4 on which are the jaws 5 of tongs, pivoted either directly to the frame or to a cross-head 6 thereon. These jaws are opened and closed by toggle-levers 7, connected by a rod 3 to a sliding head 9 on the frame 4.

To move the sliding head 9 when desired, and also tomove the trolley back and forth upon the jib, I employ the following mechanism :-1O is a sprocket-wheel journaled on the jib and adapted to be rotated by a suitable motor. An electric motor or a steam or hydraulic or other engine may be used for this purpose. There is another sprocket-wheel 1l journaled at au advanced point on the jib,

and on the trolley there are wheels or sheaves 12, 13, 14, and 15. An endlesssprocket-chain 16 passes in succession around the wheels 10 and 11 and around the wheels on the trolley and is secured to the sliding head 9.

To close the jaws of the tongs upon an ingot, the operator causes the motor to run so as to rotate `the sprocket-wheel 10 and to move the chain 16 in the direction of the arrow B. The inertia'of the trolley is such that Eig.

at first the chain will pass freely arouud the wheels 10, 1l, 12, 13, 14 and 15, andwill retract the sliding-head 9, thus spreading the toggle-levers and closing thejaws of the tongs upon the ingot. The inertia of the trolley is sufficient to cause the chain to travel over the wheels 12, 13, 14, and 15 without moving the trolley on the jib, but when the tongs engage the ingot, the resistance which is thus afforded to the sliding-head 9 blocks the movement of the chain around the Wheels ou the trolley, and further motion of the chain in the direction above indicated will draw the trolley back and cause it to travel on the jib. If it be desired to advance the trolley on the jib, after the tongs -have engaged the metal, a pin or other suitablestop is placed in front of the sliding-head 9 so as'to lock it, and the sprocket-chain is then moved in the direction of the arrow A by reversal of the motor.

To open the jaws of the tongs, the stop is removed from the front of the sliding-head and in operating the motor so as to move the chain in the direction of the arrow A, the sliding head will be moved forward and by means of the rod 8 will operate the toggle-arms so as to spread the jaws. Further motion of the sprocket-chain in the same direction will then advance the trolley on the jib.

Instead of the chain connection shown in Figs. 1 and 2,1 may employ the rigid connections shown in Figs. 3, 4, 5 and 6. In the form of Figs.3, 4 and 5, I employ a rack-bar 17 to which `the rod 8 is secured, and which is reciprocated within 'suitable guides ISby a gear-wheel 19 int-ermeshing therewith and actuated by a suitable motor. In Fig. 6 I illustrate a form wherein the piston-rod of the motive cylinder 2O is secured directly to the rod 8. In either form, the operation is exactly similar to that previously described.

The advantages of my invention will be appreciated by those skilled inthe art.

It will be noticed that the mechanism can be operated so as to open or close thejaws no matter where the trolley may be on the jlb, and it also enables the trolley to be moved back and forth so as to deliver the metal to or to draw it from a heating furnace, to pick fined in the claims, various modifications may be made in the form and construction of the parts, and some of the elements of my apparatus may be used independently of the others.

I believe that I am the tirst to devise means for operating tongs on a movable carrier by means of operating mechanism connected therewith by a traveling*y connection, and I intend to claim the same broadly 'nter' alia.

l. The combination of tongs,a movable carrier on which the tongs are mounted, and by which they are moved toward and from a furnace, and tongs-operating mechanism situ- Y ate at a point off the carrier, but operatively connected with the tongs by a traveling connection.

2. The combination of a carrier, tongs earried thereby, and an endless flexible connection extending around sheaves on the carrier connection extending around sheaves on the jib and around sheaves on the carrier, and connected with the tongs. p

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

Y ALVA o. DINKEY.

Witnesses:

THOMAS W. BAKEWELL, H. M. CORWIN. 

